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What is the most important information I should know about letrozole?
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Before taking letrozole, tell your doctor if you have liver
disease.You may not be able to use letrozole or you may need a dosage
adjustment or special tests during treatment. |
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Do not use this medication if you are pregnant. It
could cause harm to the unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth
control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. |
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Use this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do
not use it in larger doses or for longer than recommended by your doctor. |
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There may be other drugs that can affect letrozole. Tell your
doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you
use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs
prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without
telling your doctor. |
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Stop using this medication and get emergency medical help if
you think you have used too much medicine, or if you have any of these
signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing;
swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. |
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Less serious side effects are more likely, and you may have
none at all. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems
unusual or is especially bothersome. |
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Letrozole blocks the use of estrogen by certain types of
breast cancer that require estrogen to grow. |
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Letrozole is used with other medicines to treat breast
cancer in women who have reached menopause. |
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Letrozole may also be used for purposes other than those
listed here. |
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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using
letrozole?
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Before taking letrozole, tell your doctor if you have liver
disease. You may not be able to use letrozole or you may need a dosage
adjustment or special tests during treatment. |
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FDA pregnancy category D: This medication can cause harm to
an unborn baby. Do not use letrozole if you are pregnant. Tell
your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective
form of birth control while you are using this medication. |
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It is not known whether letrozole passes into breast milk.
Do not take letrozole if you are breast-feeding a baby. |
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How should I take letrozole?
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Take letrozole exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not
take it in larger doses or for longer than recommended by your doctor. |
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Take each dose with a full glass (8 ounces) of water. |
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Letrozole is usually taken once a day. Follow your doctor's
instructions. |
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Letrozole can be taken with or without food. |
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To be sure this medication is helping your condition, you
will need to be tested on a regular basis. Your bone mineral density may
also need to be checked. It is important that you not miss any scheduled
visits to your doctor. |
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Store letrozole at room temperature away from moisture and
heat. |
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What happens if I miss a dose?
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Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is
almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the
medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra
medicine to make up the missed dose. |
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What happens if I overdose?
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Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used
too much of this medicine. |
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An overdose of letrozole is not expected to produce
life-threatening symptoms. |
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What should I avoid while taking letrozole?
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Letrozole can cause side effects that may impair your
thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that
requires you to be awake and alert. |
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What are the possible side effects of letrozole?
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Stop using letrozole and get emergency medical help if you
have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives;
difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. |
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Other less serious side effects are more likely to occur,
such as: |
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hot flashes, warmth or redness in your face or chest; |
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headache, muscle or joint pain; |
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swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet. |
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Side effects other than those listed here may also occur.
Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is
especially bothersome. |
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What other drugs will affect letrozole?
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There may be other drugs not listed that can affect
letrozole. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and
over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals,
herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start
using a new medication without telling your doctor. |
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Where can I get more information?
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Your pharmacist has additional information about letrozole
written for
health professionals that you may read. |
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Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach
of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this
medication only for the indication prescribed. |
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Every effort has been made to ensure that the information
provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and
complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information
contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been
compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United
States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the
United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise.
Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or
recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational
resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring
for their patients and/ or to serve consumers viewing this service as a
supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge
and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a
given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate
that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for
any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any
aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum
provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all
possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions,
allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the
drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. |
Copyright 1996-2006 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 3.01. Revision
date: 2/ 27/ 06. |
